
One Man, One Machine
Interview with Nikolay Zakharikov, Operator in Yaroslavl
When did you join Astron?
Soon after my military service, on July 1, 2010, that was the day of Yaroslavl plant’s official opening ceremony.
Which machinery did you start with?
It was the thread-rolling machine producing tie rods. Later on, I mastered every machine in the SEF shop, including LPZ line, Tandem bender, drilling and punching presses, etc.
What has changed over the past years?
Well, there have been many changes, but the process was smooth, so now it is quite difficult to remember anything specific. In the past, Astron experimented with cold formed buildings so we produced many nonstandard details, now we focus on the classic Astron system and rarely have X-parts.
A couple of years ago Production Manager was launched and it helped to organize all the processes and minimized paper work. In addition, I like the way my workspace has changed due to 5S. As for Continuous Improvement, now there are safety barriers near the machinery, which protect us from possible injuries.
Why do you like working at Astron?
I love the creative part of my work. It is not just mechanical operations – I need to use my head to make program settings, analyze drawings and plan my working process in order to organize it efficiently. Working with the Tandem bending press requires concentration and some kind of spatial thinking too; it is a teamwork with your partner so it should be well coordinated.